Apparatus for closing and sealing filled bags



July 29, 1941. D. R. WARREN APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND SEALING FILLED BAGS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 12, 1940 DIREC T/OA/ 0F 'INVENTOR.

Dag/Q52 War en,

y 1941- D. R. WARREN 2,250,921

APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND SEALING FILLED BAGS Filed Jan. 12, 1940 5Sheets-Sheet 2 A'1TORNEY5.

u y 1941- D. R. WARREN 2,250,921

APTARATUS FOR CLOSING AND SEALING FILLED mes Filed Jan. 12., 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet s INQVENTCR. UoqgZaaZZ flzrrerz,

BY z

ATTORNEY 5 gun;

Patented 1 941.

Douglas R. Warren, .lolict, 111., assignor to Frank lin Steel Works, Joliet, lll.,- a corporation of Maine Application January 12, 1$, Serial No. 313,474 I,

14 Claims. (01. ca-c) Jlevel, mechanism for folding the collapsed upper The invention relates to packaging machines and has reference more particularly toimproved mechanism for closing and sealing the open top of a filled bag.

An object of the invention'is to employ a-conventional type of spray gun for spraying adhesive onto the open fold of a filled bag and which is thereafter. sealed by the application of pressure to the fold.

A further object of the invention resides in spraying adhesive onto the fold of a bag while the bag is moving ;and in providing improved and accurate timing' mechanism for starting and stopping the spray gunso that no spray will miss the fold and which will also render the gun operative only when a bag is in position to receive the adhesive.

A more specific object resides in the provision of a conventional spray gun positioned adjacent the path of movement of the bag and so aimed that the adhesive will be sprayed onto the fold of the bag andwhich is combined with a bag feeler having improved means for operating the gun when the feeler indicates that a bag is in position to receive the adhesive. r With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation aswill be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the. specification, drawings and claims appended .hereto.

In the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention and wherein like reference v characters designate like parts- Figure 1 is aside elevational view of the improved mechanism of the invention illustrating the location of a filled bag with the bag .feeler in contact therewith;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view looking toward the left from the line 2-2 of Figure 1, with parts being shown in section; a

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the operating mechanism for the spray gun; and

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the internal construction of the three-way valve which controls the operation of the spray Referring to the drawings, particularly Figures 1 and 2, the structure of the invention is adapted to perform the last operation in the closing and sealing of a filled bag and accordingly it will be understood that a complete machine, for ex- 'ample, of the semi-automatic type, will include means for gauging the height of the filled bag iobring the contents thereof to a predetermined portion of the bag and the' mechanism of the invention for applying adhesive to the folded upper portion and which is eventually sealed by.

the application of pressure to the fold, holding the same against the top of the bag until the adhesive has had an opportunity to securely seal the same.

The bags it are suitably retained within a receptacle formed by the upright members ii,

' having a vertically adjustable bottom l2. Said receptacles are moved from station to station throughout the machin by conveyor means not shown. vAt each stage an operation isperformed such as gauging the vertical height of the filled bag and folding the upper collapsed portion preparatory to applying adhesive to the same and sealing the bag: When the bag is positioned as shown in Figure 1 the folding operations may be performed on the upper collapsed portion id of the bag it. The bag moves toward the right as shown in said figure and during said movement adhesive is sprayed onto the said folded portion in accordance with the invention. It is necessary to provide accurate timing mechanism for starting and stopping the spray gun so that no spray will miss the fold and it is also desirable that the gun be operated only when a bag is in po'sitionto receive the adhesive. The mechanism for controlling the operation of the spraying means for the adhesive will now be described.

The mechanism is operated from the shaft is, suitably iournalled by means, not shown, provided by the packaging machine. Cams l6 and ii are suitably fixed to said shaft, the former having a cam portion l8 and the latter a cam portion i9. The lever 20, rotatably supported at 2i, carries at its upper-free end a cam wheel 22 which is adapted to contact cam l6 and said lever is accordingly rocked when cam portion I8 is in contact with said wheel. Oscillation of the lever imparts motion to the links 23 and 26 connected together at 25 by a lost motion connection which includes the slot 26 and the coil spring 2]. Link 2 lat its lower end is non-rotatably fixed to asecondary shaft 28 journalled at its respective ends by the uprights 28 supported by the plate member 30. A lever 3i is non-rotatably secured to the left end of shaft 28 and the same pivotally connects with link 32 which joins at its lower end withthe bag feeler 34. Said feeler is pivotally supported at 35 so as to depend from plate member 30 and it will be seen that actuation of the linkage described will produce For purposes of description it will be assumed that the receptacle does not contain a bag and that the feeler 34 has been actuated to its full extent and in timed relation with other mechanism of the packaging machine since actuation is effected by the cam portion N3 of cam IS. The right hand end of the secondary shaft 28 has fixed thereto an actuating arm 36 carrying a pin 31 at its outer free end. The pin is adapted to have contact with one end of the lever 38 which is loosely mounted on the secondary shaft 28 and has its opposite end bifurcated so that the depending cam member is; located adjacent the roller 43, as best shown in Figure 4, the roller forming the actuating instrumentality for the three-way valve 44 andwhlch controls operation of the spraying means. When the bag is not in position the bag feeler is actuated to its maximum extent and this is also true of the lever 38. Accordingly, the depending cam member will be elevated so as to bring the reduced portion-42 thereof into alignment with the actuating roller 43 of the three-way valve.

It is necessary to latch lever 38 so as to hold the depending cam member 48 in its elevated position until certain other operations have taken place. This latching of lever 38 is accomplished automatically by the latching arm which is yieldingly biased in a direction toward the right, Figure .1, by coil spring 46. As the inner end of lever 38 is raised to its maximum extent the latching arm 45 will be moved by accordingly oscillated in a left hand direction,

Figure 2, toward the reduced portion 42 of the depending cam member 40. By reason of the fact that the reduced portion is in alignment with the roller 43 the three-way valve 44 is not actuated and the spray gun remains inoperative with no adhesive being sprayed from the nozzle thereof.

Cam l1 continues to rotate and eventually the cam portion I9 is caused to contact roll 5| carried by the upper end of the pivoted arm 52, the shaft 53 of which is suitably Journalled by bearing 54. The extending end of shaft 53 has fixed thereto an actuating arm 55, the outwardly extending end of which is-adapted to overlie the horizontalextension 45a of the latching arm 45. Actuation'of these elements, caused by contact of cam portion IS with roll 5| will be sufllcient to rock the extension 45a in a downward direction which effects the withdrawal of the latching arm 45 from under lever 38. Said lever 38 is now free to move in a downward direction and this automatically takes place since the lever is biased in this direction by the coil spring 58. When downward movement of the inner end of lever 88 is complete the upper portion of depending cam member 48 will be located in alignment with the roller 43 comprising the actuating instrumentality of the three-way valve 44. This upper portion of the depending cam member 40 is relatively wide as compared to the reduced lower end and 'in the event the bell crank lever 48 is actuated with the depending cam member in this position the three-way valve will be operated and this is exactly what takes place when a bag is in position to receive the adhesive as will now be described.

The lever 20 is rocked by the cam portion l8 of the cam l6 and actuation is accordingly given to the connecting linkage including link 32 which connects at its upper end with the bag feeler 34. With a bag it) within the receptacle the bag feeler will come into contact with the bag and further movement inwardly of the same is prevented. Under these conditions the lever 20 has full movement by reason of the lost motion means including the slot 28 and spring 21. The

secondaryshaft, however, does not rotate to an extent where the pin 3'! will rock lever 38 to any appreciable amount. Atleast lever 38 is prevented from making a full swing and the depending cam member is not elevated to its maximum position. As a matter of fact, the upper wide portion of said cam member is held in alignment with the actuating roller 43 of the three-way valve 44.

Under these conditions the latching arm 45 does not become operative with respect to lever 38 since the lever is not elevated sufliciently to allow the, upper latching end of said arm to move under the inner end of said lever 38s The coil spring .58 functions to yieldingly bias this inward end of lever 38 in a downward direction and the operative portion of the depending cam member 40 is maintained in alignment with the roller 43 of the three-way valve. Cam portion |9 will eventually oscillate the bell crank lever 48 and the roller 50 will accordingly be moved in a direction toward the left, Figure 2, and by reason of the operative position of the depending cam member the three-way valve will be actuated. Said valve, as best shown in- Figure 4, includes a housing 58 having an internally threaded connection 59 on its top surface and a similar internally threaded connection 68 on its bottom surface. Each connection is adapted to receive a suitable nipple to which may be connected a pipe line for conducting to or from said three-way valve compressed air which is employed in atomizing the adhesive delivered to the spray gun. The pipe 5| diagrammatically shown in Figure 2 has connection at and is adapted to supply air under pressure to the three-way valve. The air compressor 82v has connection by line 63 with an oil and water extractor 84. From the extractor the line 63 leads to a gauge 65 positioned on-the material tank 63. Said tank contains a supply of the adhesive and since the air line has connection with the top of said material tank pressure is maintained on the adhesive so as to force the same from the tank through line 67 leading therefrom to the spray gun indicated in its entirety by numeral 88. Line 61 has connection at 58 with the a front portion of the gun and which portion con ducts the adhesive to nozzle 18 where the same is'atomized by compressed air and sprayed onto the fold of the bag. The air for atomizing the adhesive is supplied -by line H as diagrammatically shown inFigure 2, and which line connects with the gun at 12. Thethird fitting 13 on the gun is for connection with the air line 14 leading from the three-way valve and which joins with said valve at connection 59. The air line 14 effects actuation of the spray gun, which is controlled by the valve 44, said valve also exhausting to the atmosphere, following each actuation.

The plunger'l5-having thec'entral bore 16 is mounted within the housing 58 for reciprocating movement,said movement in an inward direction being resisted by coil spring 11. The packing l8 insures a proper fit between the plunger and the cylindrical walls of' the housing. Air under pressure is admitted to the three-way valve through thellne,Slfconnecting at 60 .whi'ch connection communicates with the; chamber 80 normally -closed by valve fat. The-cm spring 82 yieldingly biases said valve into a closed position. An extension 83 fromtheyalvealil provided with a conical cap 84, whichis directed toward plunger 15 so astoclose the bore- 16 when said plunger is movedintocontact with said conical cap. This takesplace when the plunger is actuated and furthermovement inwardly of said plungergwill operate to lift valve ill fromjits seat againstthe tension of spring 82,; allowing/air to fiowto con- .nectlon 59 and through; the pipe "connecting therewith to. the spray guns, The supplying of I,

airunder pressure to fitting 13 of the spray gun rendersthe gun operative, anda relatively fine spray of vadhesive is directed from the nozzle 10 towardthe" previously folded upper portionof the bag It. During the {spraying operation the bag is travelling past the spray gun and the timing mechanism heretofore described is constructed and arranged so that the spray gun is started t 40' in'operation just as soon as the leading edgeof of the folded portion of the bag is aligned with said gun, The spraying operation is discontinued just immediately before the rear edge of the folded portion passes out of alignment with the .spray gun. The time interval is relatively short and is eifected by the cam'portion I9 of cam I'I through the oscillating'lever 48 and the plunger I5 of the three-wayvalve. Just as soon as the cam portion l9 moves out of contact with roller 4! the bell crank lever 48 will permit plunger 15 to return to its initial position since it is biased in this direction by springs 11 and 82. Accordingly, valve '8! closes'and the source of air under pressure to the spray gun is terminated. However, it is necessary to exhaust line I4 before the spray gun ceases operation and for this purpose plunger 15 is provided with central bore I5 leading to the atmosphere and which is placed in communication with line- I4 just as soon as plunger 15 is withdrawn from contact with conical cap 84.

Eventually the cam portion l9 will be caused the upper folded pdrtion of the bag the bag moves toward the right as indicated in Figure 1. The

initial: movement of the bag brings the folded upper portion into contact with a plow 85 and a longitudinally disposed holder 85, both of which operate on the folded portion of the bag, bending the same from the vertical to a forty-five degree position, in which position the folded portion passes in front of the spray gun 68 and adhesive is applied thereto. As movement, of the bag continues the said folded portion having adhesive thereon'is pressed flat into contact with the upper portion of the bagby the horizontal portion 8-1 of the holder and from said holder the bag moves under a presser 88 which holds and also presses the foldedportion; against the top of the bag, the same being energized in a downward direction by the member 90 carrying the coil spring 9 I The bag is held under pressure un- I til just before it reaches the discharge station and during this interval in the travel of the bag the adhesive is given an opportunity to securely seal the folded portiont o the top of tl'ie l'iag I The invention is not .to be limited to or by details of construction 'of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated bythe'drawing's, as various other formsof the device will of-course be apparent to thoseslrilled in theartwithout departing from. the spirit ofthe invention or the scope of the claims.

" What is claimed is:

to contact roll 5| to actuate arm 55, the out- In a packaging machine, means for moving a; plurality of bags in a definite path, means for 'sp'raying adhesive' onto the foldedupper portion a of each bag while thebag is moving, means con- .trolling the starting and stopping of said spray ing means, a member extending along the path of movement of said bags from a position-in advance of said spraying means to a point. be-

' yond the said means for maintaining the folded upperv portion of each bag properly positioned during the application of adhesive thereto, and said member including a pressure plate for pressing the folded uppervportion into contact with the top of its bag so as to seal the same.

2. In ,a machine for closing filled bags and sealing the same, in combination, means for intermittently moving the bags from station; to station throughout the machine, a spray gun for spraying adhesive onto the folded upper end of each bag as the bag is moving, a control valve for controlling the starting and stopping of said spray gun, and a member extending along the path of movement of said bags from a position in advance of said spray gun to a point beyond the said means, said member for apart of its length maintaining the folded upper portion of each bag at a substantially forty-five degree angle to facilitate the application of adhesive thereto, and

for the remainder of its length being substantially fiat and applying pressure to the folded upper portion to hold the same in contact with the top of the bag. 4

3. In a machine for closing filled bags'and sealing the same, means intermittently moving the bags from station to station throughout the machine, a spray gun for spraying adhesive onto the I folded upper end of each bag as the samemoves between certain stations, a'control valve for controlling the supply of air under pressure to said gun and which accordingly controls the starting and stopping of-the spraying operation, a piv-. oted bag feeler located at the station in advance of said spray gun, means receiving actuation from the bag moving means :for oscillating said bag feeler to causethe same to contact the side of a bag located at said station, and other means moves between certain stations, a control valve for controlling the supply of air under pressure to said gun and which accordingly controls the starting and stopping of the spraying operation,

means receiving actuation from the bag moving means for periodically actuating the control valve, a vertically movable cam member located.

between the control valve and said valve actuating means, said-cam member in elevated position renderingthe-means ineifective tooperate the control valve and in its lowered position rendering the means effective, a pivoted bag feeler located at the station in advance of said spray gun, other means also receiving actuationfrom between certain stations, a pivoted bag feeler located at the station in advance of said spray gun and adapted to contact a bag located at said station, means receiving actuation from said bag moving means for oscillating said bag feeler, said means including a lost motion connection whereby said means may move its full extent eve'n' though thebag feeler .is stopped after partial the bag moving means for oscillating said bag ieeler' to cause the same to contact theside of a bag located at said station, and connections between the bag feeler and said cam member, whereby the degree of oscillating movement of the-bag feeler controls the verticalpositloning of said cam member.

, 3 5. In a machine for closing-filled bags and sealing the same, means intermittently moving the bags from station to station throughout the machine, a spray gun for spraying adhesive onto the folded upper end of each bag as the bag moves between certain stations, 8. control valve controlling the operation of said gun, a rotatably mounted bell crank lever carrying a roller on one leg thereof providing operating means for said control valve, a camin contact with the other leg of said lever and oscillating the lever in timed relation with the movement of the bags, a vertlcally movable cam member located between the control valve and said roller, said cam member in elevated position rendering the lever ineffective to operate the control valve and in its lowered position rendering the lever effective, a pivoted bag feeler located at the station in advance of said spray gun, means oscillating said bag feeler to cause the same to contact the side of a bag located at said station, and connections between the bag feeler and the cam member whereby the degree of oscillating movement of the bag feeler controls the vertical positioning of the cam member.

6. In a machine for closing filled bags and sealing the same, means intermittently moving the bags from station to station throughout the movement'by reason of contact with a bag, a control valve for controlling the operation of the spray gun, means for periodically actuating the control valve, and a movable cam member for renderingjthe actuating means-operative or in- I I operative. said movable cam member having movement in proportion to the movement of the,

- bag feeler.

8. In a machine for closing filled bags and sealing the same, means intermittently moving the bags from station to station throughout the machine, a spray gun for spraying adhesive onto the folded upper end of each bag as the bag is moving. said gun having connection with a tank containing adhesive and a source of air under pressure for atomizing the adhesive supplied thereto, a control valve for controlling the supply oi air under pressure to said gun and which accordingly controls the starting and stopping of the spraying operation, an oscillatable lever providing the operating means for said control valve,

0 means actuating the oscillatablelever in timed relation with the movement of the bag, a movable cam member located between the control valve and said lever, said cam member in one position rendering the lever efiective to operate the control valve and in another position rendering the lever ineffective, a bag feeler located at a station in advance of the spray gun, means operating the bag feeler into the path of the bags so that its extent of movement is variable depending on the presence or absence of a bag at said station, and connections between the bag feeler and said cam member, whereby the cam member is positioned to render the lever ineifective when there is no bag to receive the moving, said gun-having connection with a tank cordingly controls the starting and stopping of machine, a spray gun for spraying adhesive onto the folded upper end of each bag as the bag moves between certain stations, a pivoted bag feeler located at the station in advance of said spray gun and adapted to contact a bag located at said station, and means receiving actuation from said bagmoving means for oscillating said bag feeler, said means including a lost motio'n connection whereby said means may move its full extent even though the bag feeler is stopped after partial movement by reason of contact with a bag.

7, In a machine for closing filled bags and sealing the same, means intermittently moving the bags from station to station throughout the machine, a spray gun for spraying adhesive onto the folded upper end of each bag as the bag moves the spraying operation, a rotatably mounted bell crank lever carrying 'a. roller on one leg thereof providing operating means for said control valve, a cam in contact with the other leg of said lever and oscillating the lever in timed relation with the movement of the bags, a vertically movable cam member located between the cont rol valve and said lever, said cam member in elevated position rendering the lever ineffective to operate the control valve and in its lowered position render that its extent of movement is variable depending on the presence or absence of a bag at said station, and connections between the bag feeler and said cam member, whereby the cam member is positioned to render the lever inefiective when there is no bag to receive the adhesive from the sp y su 10. Ina machine for closing filled bags and sealing the same, means intermittently moving the bags from station to station throughout the machine, a spray gun for spraying adhesive onto the folded upper end of the bag as the bag is moving, said gun having connection with a tank containing adhesive and a source of air under pressure for atomizing the adhesive supplied thereto, valve mechanism receiving actuation from the bag moving meansfor controlling the supply of air under pressure to said spray gun and which accordingly controls the starting and stopping of the spraying operation, a pivoted bag feeler located in advance oi the spray gun, means operating the bag feeler into the path of the bags whereby its extent of movement is variable de-4 pending on the presence or absence of a bag at said location, and other means actuated by move ment of the bag feeler for rendering said valve actuating mechanism inoperative when there is no bag to receive the adhesive from the gun 11. In a machine for closing filled bags and sealing the same, in combination, means intermittently moving the bags from station to station throughout the machine, a spray gun for spraying adhesive onto the folded upper end of each bag as the bag is moving, valve actuating mechanism for controlling the startingand stopping of said spray gun, a bag feeler located in advance of the spray gun, means operating the bag feeler into the path of the bags whereby its extent of movement is variable depending on the presence or absence of a bag at said location, and other means actuated by movement of the bag feeler for rendering said valve actuating mechanism inoperative when there is no bag to receive the adhesive from the gun.

12. In a packaging machine. means for moving a plurality of bags in a definite path, a spray gun located at a point in said path for spraying. adhesive onto the folded upper portion of each bag while the bag is moving, a control valve for controlling the operation of said gun, means receiving actuation from the bagmoving means for periodically actuating the control valve whereby adhesive is applied to the folded upper portion of each bag as the same: moves past said gun, a bag feeler located in advance of the spray gun, means operating the bag feeler into the path 0! the bags whereby its extent of movement is variable depending on the presence or absence of a bag at said location, and other means operated by movement of the bag feeler for rendering the actuating means for the control valveineflective in the event there is no bag in position to receive the adhesive.

13. In a machine for closing filled bags and sealing the same, in combination, means intermittently moving the bags from station to station throughout the machine, a spray gun for spraying adhesive onto the folded upper end of each bag as the bag moves between certain stations, valve actuating mechanismfor controlling the starting and stopping of saidspray gun, a bag feeler located at a station in advance of the spray gun, means operating the bag feeler into the path of the bags so that its extent of movement is variable depending on the presence or absence of a bag at said station, a latching member for latching the bag feeler when it has moved its full extent by reason of the absence of a bag, at said station, and means having a position when the bag feeler is latched for rendering the valve actu-- ating mechanism inoperative.

14. In a machine for closing filled bags and sealing the same, in combination, means intermittently moving the bags from station to station throughout the machine, a spray gun for spraying adhesive onto the folded upper end of each bag as the bagmoves between certain stations, 8. control valve for controlling the operation of said spray gun, a bell crank lever carrying a roller on one leg providing operating means for said control valve, a cam in contact with the other leg of said lever for oscillating the lever in timed relation with the movement of the bags, a certically movable cam member located between the control valve and said roller, said cam member in elevated position rendering the lever ineffective to operate the control valve and in its lowered position rendering the lever eflective, a bag feeler located at a station in advance.of the spray gun, means operating the bag feeler into the pathof the bags so that its extent of movement is variable depending on the presence or absence of a bag at said station, connections between the bag feeler and the cam member whereby the cam member is located in elevated position when the bag feeler moves its full extent by reason'of the absence of a bag at said station, and a latching member for latching the cam member in said elevated position.

DOUGLAS R. WARREN. 

